BIO: Constantine HERING, M.D., Chambersburg, Franklin County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Denise Phillips

Copyright 2006.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/franklin/
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Medical Men of Franklin County, 1750-1925 by Ambrose Watts Thrush, M.D.;
Chambersburg, Pa.; Medical Society of Franklin County, Page 109-110
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CONSTANTINE HERING, M. D.

1800 - 1880

  Dr. Hering was the Father of Homoeopathy in America.  He was born January 1, 
1800, in Oschatz, Saxony, and died July 23, 1880, in Philadelphia, Pa.

  He studied surgery at an Academy in Dresden in 1817, and the next four years 
under private tutors.  In 1820 he entered the Medical Department of the 
University of Leipsic, and graduated M. D., 1826, from this school.  In 1821, 
while still a student he was engaged to write a book confuting the theories of 
Hahneman, and in order to prepare for the task, he carefully examined the works 
of Hahneman and after diligent research and study of them he became a convert, 
sought out the author and became his personal friend.

  Upon his graduation in 1826 he prepared a thesis which earnestly supported and 
defended the new system of medicine as originated by Hahneman and during the 
remainder of his long and eventful life Dr. Hering was one of the great oracles 
of Homoeopathy.  He spent six years in South America devoting much of his time 
to the practice of Homoeopathy in a Moravian Colony in Paramaribo.

  Dr. Hering arrived in Philadelphia, Pa., in April, 1833, and he became one of 
the pioneers of Homoeopathy in America.  He acquired a large and lucrative 
practice.  In 1835, together with Drs. Henry Detwiler, Conrad Wesselhoeft, 
George Hering Bute and John Romig, he founded in Allentown, Pa., the "North 
American Academy of the Homoeopathic Healing Art."  Dr. Hering became the first 
President and principal instructor.  This was the first Homoeopathic School in 
the world.  Dr. Hering taught, wrote books and pamphlets on homoeopathy and 
caused German text books on the subject to be translated into English.

  The Allentown School closed in the panic of 1837 and Dr. Hering resumed his 
practice in Philadelphia.  In 1846 the Homoeopathic Medical College of 
Pennsylvania was founded and Dr. Hering was a member of the faculty, retaining 
his chair until 1867, when he assisted in founding the Hahneman Medical College 
of Philadelphia, and held the chair of Materia Medica in this institution for 
two years.  Dr. Hering was recognized as a genius in medicine and his faith in 
Homoeopathy was boundless.  He devoted considerable time to the study of bites 
of venomous serpents and to hydrophobia and developed many of Hahneman's 
theories.

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    In "Pennsylvania, Colonial and Federal" Vol. III, by Jenkins, it is recorded 
that Dr. Henry Detwiler, an old school physician, practicing at Hellertown, Pa., 
on July 24, 1828, administered the first homoeopathic dose of medicine in 
Pennsylvania.  Dr. Detwiler had for some time previously studied this form of 
treatment as laid down in the text books then extant and had received a box of 
Homoeopathic medicines sent from Germany by a Doctor Stapf.

  Dr. Francis Ehrman was the pioneer of homoeopathy in the Cumberland Valley.  
He settled at Carlisle in 1835, and it is recorded that Dr. Ehrman was the first 
to give Homoeopathic treatment in Franklin County several years prior to 1847.  
It does not appear that Dr. Ehrman was ever a resident of Franklin County, so he 
evidently visited the County from Carlisle.

  In 1847 Dr. Ehrman located in Lancaster, Pa.

  Dr. P. R. Schuching, a Homoeopathic Physician, located in Chambersburg in 1849 
and was in practice here for three years or more.